SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook

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SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
Opportunities, challenges and outlook
November 2019

                IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
About IFC

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private sector in emerging markets. We work with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to
create markets and opportunities where they are needed most. In fiscal year 2019, we delivered more than US$19 billion in long-term
financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more
information,visit www.ifc.org

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Front cover photo: branex / iStock
SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
Table of Contents

Acronyms                                             5   6. STRATEGIC POSITIONING AND GAP
Acknowledgments                                      6   ASSESSMENT                                             46
Executive Summary                                    8   6.1 Comparative gap assessment,
                                                              strategic positioning and approach at the level
1. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES                        12        of sub-sectors                                    46
1.1 Background                                      12   6.2 Gap analysis and focusing of effort                51
1.2 Objectives                                      12
                                                         7. POLICY FRAMEWORK ON WATER USE IN
2. RATIONALE FOR WATER EFFICIENCY                        AGRI-PROCESSING IN SOUTH AFRICA                        54
IN SOUTH AFRICA                                     14   7.1 Key policy instruments and approaches              54
2.1 Water scarcity in South Africa                  14   7.2 Policy challenges                                  56
2.2 The agri-processing sector’s economic                7.3 Implementation challenges                          57
     contribution and water consumption             16   7.4 Water governance at the local level                57
2.3 Gaps in support for water efficiency measures   17
                                                         8. OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE ENABLING
3. WATER USE PRACTICES IN THE                            ENVIRONMENT IN THE WATER USE SPACE                  60
AGRI-PROCESSING SECTOR                              18   8.1 Emerging and potential opportunity areas        60
3.1 Water consumption in agri-processing            18   8.2 Tackling the water challenge at the local level 61
3.2 Water use practices and efficiency:
     international comparisons                      19   9. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS                             64

4. THE BUSINESS CASE FOR WATER                           References                                             66
EFFICIENCY IN AGRI-PROCESSING                       22   Annex A                                                68
4.1 Drivers for water efficiency                    22   Annex B                                                70
4.2 Water tariffs and their impact on the water
     efficiency business case. Additional revenue
     streams and supplementary payback factors      23

5. POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGES FOR WATER
EFFICIENCY IN AGRI-PROCESSING
SUB-SECTORS                                         26
5.1 Cross-sectoral opportunities for water and
     resource efficiency                            26
5.2 Cross-sectoral challenges and barriers for
     water efficiency                               28
5.3 Fruit and vegetable packing, storing
     and processing                                 29
5.4 Dairy processing                                32
5.5 Animal slaughtering and processing              33
5.6 Malting and brewing                             36
5.7 Wine production                                 39
5.8 Pulp and paper processing                       42
5.9 Sugar cane processing                           44
5.10 Summary efficiency potential                   45

                                                                                                                 3
SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
List of Figures
Figure 1    Water consumption in the agri-processing sector                                                                8
Figure 2    Sub-sector potential matrix                                                                                    9
Figure 3    Factors impacting the business case for water efficiency                                                      10
Figure 4    Barriers for water efficiency                                                                                 10
Figure 5    Projected water supply and demand in South Africa (Hedden, 2016)                                              15
Figure 6    2050 water supply vulnerability with medium population grown and climate change exposure considering
            local run-off changes (Green Book, 2019)                                                                      15
Figure 7    The location of the facilities of the major agri-processing companies within each of following sectors:
            fruit and vegetable, animal slaughtering, dairy, brewing, wine, pulp and paper, and sugar                     16
Figure 8    Estimated water use in the agri-processing sector by sub-sector. Left-hand chart compares pulp and paper
            with food and beverages total water usage. Right-hand chart gives a breakdown of water usage in the food
            and beverage sector                                                                                           18
Figure 9    SA agri-processor sub-sector water usage benchmarks in comparison to international best practice.
            Green bar = average and grey bars = upper and lower thresholds                                                19
Figure 10   Estimated total potential for water and cost savings, per sub-sector. The estimated current total water use
            of each sub-sector is indicated by the height of each bar (i.e. target water use plus savings potential)      20
Figure 11   Drivers for water efficiency specifically mentioned during stakeholder interviews                             23
Figure 12   Industrial water tariff comparison across key municipalities and municipal districts
            (ZAR/cubic m, ex VAT, no water restrictions in place)                                                         24
Figure 13   The business case for smart metering and organic effluent reuse in an agri-processor generating
            1 000 cubic m/day wastewater for City of Cape Town’s Level 1 and Level 6 restriction water and sanitation
            tariffs (FY 2018/19)                                                                                          24
Figure 14   Barriers to water efficiency specifically mentioned during stakeholder interviews                             29
Figure 15   Estimated water use in the fruit and vegetable sector by processing type                                      30
Figure 16   Estimated realizable water savings for the fruit and vegetable sub-sector over the next 4-6 years and
            required investment (by intervention type, including solar PV)                                                31
Figure 17   Estimated breakdown of water use in the dairy processing sector by product                                    32
Figure 18   Nestlé Mossel Bay case study                                                                                  32
Figure 19   Estimated breakdown of water use in the animal slaughtering sub-sector (WRC 2017a, b)                         33
Figure 20   Estimated realizable water savings for the animal slaughtering and processing sub-sector over the next
            4-6 years and required investment (by intervention type)                                                      35
Figure 21   Water use for the malting processes                                                                           36
Figure 22   Case study: water reuse in steeping                                                                           38
Figure 23   Estimated realizable water savings for the brewing and malting sub-sector over the next 4-6 years
            and required investment (by intervention type)                                                                39
Figure 24   Case study: Distell                                                                                           40
Figure 25   Estimated realizable water savings for wine sub-sector over the next 4-6 years
            and required investment (by intervention type)                                                                41
Figure 26   Case study: Mondi Merebank                                                                                    43
Figure 27   Estimated realizable water and cost savings and investment sums for the pulp and paper processing sector
            over the next 4-6 years, by intervention                                                                      43
Figure 28   Water sources utilized by sugar mills in South Africa (indicates number of mills)                             44
Figure 29   Estimated realizable water savings over the next 4-6 years, by intervention type and sub-sector               45
Figure 30   Summary water efficiency potential in agri-processing sector in South Africa                                  45
Figure 31   Sub-sector strategic positioning                                                                              51
Figure 32   Knowledge gaps relating to water efficiency, mentioned during interviews                                      51
Figure 33   Russia Resource Efficiency Benchmarking Study: the overall cost benchmark and actual performance              52
Figure 34   Water sector institutional framework                                                                          58
Figure 35   Green Drop and No Drop scores for 2013 and 2014, respectively                                                 59
Figure 36   Intervention areas at the local level                                                                         62

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SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
List of Tables
Table 1    Summary of water efficiency opportunities in the agri-processing sector                                      28
Table 2    Efficiency opportunities in fruit and vegetable processing                                                   30
Table 3    Estimated realizable potential for effluent reuse in the dairy industry over the next 4-6 years              33
Table 4    Key statistics for the anaerobic digestion plant at RCL Foods’ abattoir in Worcester                         34
Table 5    Water efficiency opportunities in the brewing and malting sector                                             38
Table 6    Water efficiency opportunities in the wine sector                                                            41
Table 7    The source of water used in the pulp and paper sector and the relative average cost of this water            42
Table 8    Savings potential ranking                                                                                    47
Table 9    Pre-existing knowledge and planning ranking                                                                  47
Table 10   Other benefits (environmental & demonstration effect) ranking                                                48
Table 11   Capacity to implement ranking                                                                                48
Table 12   Level of commitment ranking                                                                                  49
Table 13   Summary rankings                                                                                             49
Table 14   Sector concentration/player size ranking                                                                     50
Table 15   Project size ranking                                                                                         50
Table 16   Industrial water and sanitation charges for selected metros (ex VAT, no water restrictions in place)         69

Acronyms
AB Inbev   Anheuser-Busch Inbev                                  NWA          National Water Act
APRE       Agribusiness Resource Efficiency Project in           NWP          National Water Policy
           South Africa                                          NWRS         National Water Resources Strategy
CHP        Combined Heat and Power                               O&M          Operations and Maintenance
CIP        Clean In Place                                        PPP          Public-Private Partenrship
CMA        Catchment Management Agency                           PV           Photo Voltaic
COD        Chemical Oxygen Demand                                RCL          Rainbow Chickens Limited
CSR        Corporate Social Responsibility                       RMAA         Red Meat Abattoir Association
DED&T      Department of Economic Development                    SAB          South African Breweries
           and Tourism                                           SABIA        South African Biogas Industry
DWS        Department of Water and Sanitation                    SALGA        South African Local Government Association
GDP        Gross Domestic Product                                SECO         Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
GFCF       Gross Fixed Capital Formation                         SSEG         Small-Scale Embedded Generation
GWI        Global Water Intelligence                             SWAN         Safe Water and Nutrition Program
IFC        International Finance Corporation                     SWPN         Strategic Water Partners Network
IDP        Integrated Development Plans                          WCDM         Water Conservation and Demand
IPAP       Industrial Policy Action Plan                                      Management
kl         Kilolitres                                            WCG          Western Cape Government
KPI        Key Performance Indicator                             WDM          Water Demand Management
MAS        Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services              WEF          World Economic Forum
MW         Megawatt                                              WRC          Water Research Commission
NDP        National Development Plan                             WSA          Water Services Authority
NEMA       National Environmental Management Act                 WUA          Water User Association
NERSA      National Energy Regulator of South Africa             WWF          World Wildlife Fund
NRW        Non-Revenue Water

                                                                                                                         5
SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
Acknowledgments
This report was produced as part of a broader Agri-processing resource efficiency
Project in South Africa (APRE), aimed to help transition to better water and resource
efficiency practices for companies engaged in agricultural processing. The Project is
expected to help mitigate water supply risks in the sector, resulting from the water
scarcity challenge in South Africa and throughout the region. The Project is funded by
the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), and the team would like to
thank Franziska Sporri (Head, Economic Cooperation and Development), Gerhard
Pienaar (Deputy Head, Economic Cooperation and Development), Nonhlanhla
Halimana (Programme Manager, Economic Cooperation and Development) and the
entire SECO team for the ongoing support and guidance.
The assessment was managed by Alexander Larionov and Rong Chen (IFC). IFC commissioned
GreenCape and Pegasys Strategy and Development (Pty) Ltd to support the collection
of information and analysis. We appreciate the effort of the key experts, Claire Pengelly
(Water Programme Manager, GreenCape) and Derek Weston (Associate Director, Pegasys)
and their teams. IFC has partnered with Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa
(Agbiz) to facilitate implementation of the Project and is grateful to John Purchase (CEO)
and Theo Boshoff (Manager, Legal Intelligence) for the inputs to the report.

The team would like to acknowledge the contribution from stakeholders, including
André Robins (Corporate Safety, Health and Environment Manager, Nestlé South Africa),
Anil Rambally (Executive: Procurement and Sustainability, Astral Foods), Bernard
Niemand (Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning),
Byron Norval (Director, Green Create), Charl du Plessis, (CEO Orange River Cellars),
Chris van Dijk (CEO, Milk Producer’s Organisation), Christo Conradie (Manager: Wine
Cellars, Agricultural Economy & Tourism, Vinpro), Colin Ohlhoff (Environmental Officer,
Fair Cape Dairies), Gerhard Neethling (General Manager, Red Meat Abattoir Association),
Heinz Meissner (Programme Manager: R&D, MilkSA), Peter Evans (Head: Consumer
Assurance, SA Pig Producers Organization), Dumisani Khoza (iLembe District Municipality),
Eddie Vienings (Blue North), Ettienne Thiebaut (Group Sustainability Executive,
RCL Foods), Gavin Williams (Saldanha Bay Municipality), Gerard Martin, (Executive
Manager, Winetech), Gerhard Fourie (the DTI), Grant Whittaker (National Business
Development Manager, COVA Advisory), Gregg Brill (Green Economy Programme, Western
Cape Government), Hans Lizemore, (Cellar Technical Manager, Robertson Winery),
Henk Ryke (Engineering Manager, Two-a-Day), Henry Shaw (Operations Manager, Winelands
Pork), Jacques Pienaar (Plant Manager, Clover), Jill Atwood-Palm (General Manager, SA
Fruit and Vegetable Canners Association), Johan Loedolff (Group Manager Operations,
Parmalat), Julie Borland (Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa), Kabols le Riche
(Chief Executive Officer, Cavalier Group), Kevin Cilliers (Regional Manager and Water
Programme Manager, National Cleaner Production Centre), Koos Bouwer (Packhouse
Action Group), Linda Mncube (Siza Water), Maphumulo Zanele (Department of Water and

6
SOUTH AFRICAN AGRI-PROCESSING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY - Opportunities, challenges and outlook
Sanitation), Marthinus Stander (Chairperson, SA Poultry,
CEO, Country Bird Holdings), Martin Minnie (Head of
Production & Maintenance, Elgin Free Range Chickens),
Mary-Jean Gabriel (Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries), Mauro Delle Donne (Director, Zandam
Cheese and Piggery), Maxime Eon (Marketing Manager,
Emergent Energy), Mias Pretorius (Elgin Fruit Juices),
Neil Hunt (NH) – (Group Risk and Sustainability Manager,
Mpact), Nico Moloto (Group Executive: Sustainability
& Stakeholders, Pioneer Foods), Philippa Rodseth
(Managing Director, Manufacturing Circle), Pierre Tilney
(Summerpride Foods), Pierre Volschenk (Stellenbosch
University), Rafiq Gafoor (Environmental Manager, Mondi
Group), Renée van Hoeve (Environmental Manager,
Sappi), Richard Kriel, (Masterplan Manager, Heineken SA),
Roger Schierhout (Plant manager, Langeberg and Ashton
Foods), Ronald Brown (Drakenstein Municipality), Rudi
Richards (General Manager, SA Fruit Juice Association),
Ryno Verster, (Technical Manager KWV), Shivani Maharaj
(Zone Environment Manager, AB Inbev), Speedy Moodliar
(City of eThekwini), Thys Els (Technical Manager, Veolia),
Valerie Naidoo (Water Research Commission), Wimpie
van der Merwe (Technical Director, Proxa).

The team is grateful to World Bank Group colleagues
for support of the assessment, as well as feedback on the
report. We would like to thank Aref Adamali, Nondumiso
Bulunga, Philippa McLaren, Raymond Greig, Robert Peck
and Rumbidzai Sithole. Also, many thanks to graphic
designer Pierre Jansen van Rensburg, as well as Steven
Palmer and the full team at Titanium Room for the
excellent production of the report.

Photo: sergeyryzhov / iStock
                                                             7
Executive Summary
South Africa’s agri-processing sector is a key driver of economic growth, as it contributes
to value addition, job creation and exports. Increasing water scarcity, combined with
rising costs of energy and fuel, is threatening the competitiveness and sustainability of
the sector. IFC’s Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services (MAS) Advisory team, in
partnership with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), launched
a four-year program – the Agribusiness Resource Efficiency Project in South Africa
(APRE) – to address market challenges and help the industry transition to better water
and resource efficiency practices. The program aims to improve water use efficiency,
reduce overall water consumption, and mitigate water supply risks in the sector.
In January through May 2019, the IFC project team, with support from GreenCape, one of
the leading agencies in the resource efficiency space in South Africa, and with inputs from
the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz), one of the largest industry associations, has
conducted a study of opportunities for reduction of water use in agri-processing, analyzed
persisting barriers for better efficiency and highlighted possible areas for improvement at
the level of the firms, within the sector as a whole as well as in the policy and regulatory
framework.

To perform the assessment, the team has conducted an extensive review of available research
on the topic and interviewed more than 50 private firms, government agencies and sector
associations.

The key findings of the assessment are presented below.

1.                      The sector’s water consumption of approximately 130 million m3/year is divided between
                        pulp and paper and food and beverage sub-sectors. Food and beverage sub-sectors, in turn,
                        are represented by 9 key sub-sectors, six of which together with pulp and paper sub-sector
                        account for approximately 90% of total water consumption by the agri-processing sector:

Figure 1. Water consumption in the agri-processing sector.

                                                                                Fishery 1%              Brewing and
                         80 000 000                                                       Edible oil 4% malting
                         70 000 000                                     Sugar 10%                       total 17%
                         60 000 000
    Water use (kl/yr)

                         50 000 000                              Fruit &
                         40 000 000                              vegetable
                                                                 total 8%                                     Wine
                         30 000 000                                                                           10%
                         20 000 000
                         10 000 000
                                                                         Dairy
                                   0                                     12%
                                                                                                     Animal
                                        Pulp &      Food &                                           slaughtering
                                        paper      beverage                                          total 26%

8
The cold drink sub-sector is dominated by companies                  c. Water reuse, recycling and effluent treatment
     that are diversified into other sub-sectors and Coca-                   projects, which could include biogas-to-energy
     Cola, a single major international producer, and is                     components.
     less associated with the agri-processing operations.
                                                                          Realization of this potential would result in savings of
     Therefore, the cold drink sector was excluded from the
                                                                          over US$20 million annually (excluding corresponding
     detailed analysis of the food and beverage sector.
                                                                          energy savings and indirect savings from avoided
2.   As demonstrated by high-level international                          loss) and require investment of over US$400 million.
     comparisons, while the South African agri-processing                 Approximately 80% of the savings potential can be
     industry is performing well compared to international                achieved with US$200 million of investment.
     companies, there are still opportunities for improved
     efficiency. However, the economic potential is limited         4.    Poultry, red meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable subsectors
     by the relatively low cost of water and wastewater                   represent the most unrealized yet feasible potential for
     discharge fees, which weakens the business case.                     water efficiency, followed by malting and brewing as
                                                                          well as wineries. The water-related projects in the pulp
3.   The total potential for primary water savings across
                                                                          and paper sector, as well in the sugar sector, tend to be
     the key agri-processing sub-sectors can be estimated
                                                                          much larger on average; however, a lot of the potential
     at just under 30 million m3/year, equivalent to 20%
                                                                          has already been realized.
     of the total sector consumption (this varies between
     10% and 65% across sub-sectors and in best-practice            5.    The drivers for water efficiency are not solely
     technologies already implemented by some players).                   associated with the direct cost of water through tariffs
     The potential would be realized through these key                    and fees. Business continuity, water scarcity and
     types of intervention:                                               quality risks are the key drivers in many cases. They
     a. Low-cost savings measures, including retrofits of                 could be further quantified through loss of production
        water supply and distribution infrastructure at the               output and revenue as well as the increased cost of
        company facilities;                                               alternatives. The business case can be further enhanced
     b. Process improvements and equipment upgrades                       by additional revenue streams, from effluent to biogas
        that result in a reduction of water use per unit of               projects, sales of energy and other effluent treatment
        output; and                                                       by-products.

Figure 2. Sub-sector potential matrix.

                       High

                                                                     Red meat

                                                                                                       Poultry
                    Impact (size of the gap)

                                                                         Dairy

                                                                         Brewing &
                                                                         malting

                                                Pulp & paper                               Fruit & vegetables

                                                                         Wineries

                                                        Sugar

                       Low                            Likelihood of achieving impact                      High

                                                                                                                                 9
Figure 3. Factors impacting the business case for water efficiency.

                                       100

                                       90

                                       80
     % of companies interviewed

                                       70

                                       60

                                       50

                                       40

                                       30

                                       20

                                        10

                                        0
                                             Bus continuity           CSR/                   Wastewater               High water/            Restrictions        Expansion               Other
                                             (water scarcity       Multinational             regulations              wastewater                                  projects
                                              and quality)          pressure                                            charges

                                               Fruit & vegetable                  Dairy           Animal              Brewing           Wine           Pulp & paper             Overall %

6.                         Among the challenges and barriers, the companies consistently mention the weak business case, as well as lack of
                           knowledge of best practices, indicating a need for support in developing projects. A number of issues raised are associated
                           with the enabling environment for water efficiency and regulatory matters.

Figure 4. Barriers for water efficiency.

                                       100

                                       80
     % of companies interviewed

                                       60

                                       40

                                       20

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10
7.   In the policy space, advancements in the following key
     areas will create an enabling environment for water
     efficiency:
     • Integrated planning of water use;
     • Water use authorization and groundwater use
       licensing;
     • Water reuse and recycling regulations (including
       sector-specific); and
     • Water use tariffs and fees, water discharge and
       treatment payment review.
     While the public-private dialogues still remain an
     efficient instrument to reaching these goals, and
     municipal authorities are important stakeholders and
     potential partners in those engagements, there are other
     key groups of regional/local stakeholder that might be
     the lead counterparts:
     • Water users’ associations;
     • Emerging catchment management agencies; and
     • Sector associations engaged in advocacy on standards
       and requirements for a given sub-sector (as relevant
       for corresponding agri-clusters).

Photo: Danilo Pinzon / World Bank
                                                                11
1. Background and objectives
1.1 Background
Water scarcity, greater water demand and changing water supplies due to climate
change are severely affecting large parts of Southern Africa, including South Africa.
These issues pose a significant risk to the region, underlined by the identification
of water supply as one of the highest ranking long-term global risks by the World
Economic Forum.1 South Africa faces several challenges regarding water supply –
rainfall levels are already lower than other parts of the world, and in recent years,
water availability has been further impacted by El Niño, a weather phenomenon that
affects ocean water temperatures and associated rainfall patterns, resulting in severe
drought. Coupled with increasing demand for water, these limitations mean that the
gap between demand and supply of water is set to widen significantly.
The Government of South Africa recognizes that water security is essential for meeting
the policy objectives of inclusive economic growth and reduced poverty, as set out in the
National Development Plan. The National Water Resource Strategy 2, the instrument used
to operationalize the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) (NWA), aims to ensure that water
resources are managed in a way that contributes to South Africa’s economic and social objectives,
identifying conservation and demand management as a critical element of the strategy.2 The
Water Services Act (Act 108 of 1997) governs supply of water and sanitation services at a
municipal level, and sets out norms and standards for tariffs, while the Municipal Systems Act
(Act 32 of 2000) provides for establishment of by-laws by local government covering tariffs
for water and effluent. Other developments in the environmental legislation, such as the ‘user
pays’ and ‘polluter pays’ principle implementation governed by the National Environmental
Management Act (NEMA), will also have the impact on effluent treatment policies.

The new legislation will be supported by a Water Security Framework, National Water and
Sanitation Resources Strategy, and a National Water and Sanitation Master Plan; these aim
to support reduced future water demand, amongst other key objectives. Despite the focus on
improving the enabling environment, responses to water security challenges have proven to
be inadequate, as evidenced by various ‘Day Zeros’ in the Western and Eastern Cape Province.

1.2 Objectives
The agri-processing sector plays an important role in South Africa’s economy, making
significant contributions to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exports, employment and food
security. However, increasing water scarcity, combined with rising costs of energy and fuel,

1
     World Wildlife Fund (2017). Water scarcity overview.
2
     Applicable legislation, in addition to the National Water Act and Water Services Act, includes the National Environmental
     Management Act, National Environmental Management: Waste Act, National Environmental Management: Air Quality
     Act, and Environmental Conservation Act, which cover waste management, amongst other issues. Other legislation
     covering industrial processes is also applicable to water and waste management, for example the Occupational Health
     and Safety Act, as well as sub-sector specific legislation such as the Meat Safety Act.

12
is threatening the competitiveness and sustainability of
the sector. The key impediments preventing companies
from fully addressing water scarcity are a lack of a clear
business case as to the benefits of investing in water
efficiency measures; inadequate access to information and
advice on best practices and benchmarks; and a lack of
technical capacity and experience in implementing water
use and efficiency measures and technologies. Furthermore,
the policy and regulatory environment does not adequately
encourage water efficiency measures.

The Agri-Processing Resource Efficiency (APRE) program,
implemented by International Finance Corporation
(IFC) with support from the SECO, aims to promote the
implementation of cost-effective and innovative water and
energy efficiency technologies and practices. As in many
other sectors, the use of water by the agri-processing sector
is tied to energy use.

As part of the project, IFC, with support from GreenCape,
one of the leading agencies in the resource efficiency space
in South Africa, and with inputs from Agricultural Business
Chamber (Agbiz), one of the largest industry associations,
has conducted a study of opportunities for reduction of
water use in agri-processing, analyzed persisting barriers
for better efficiency and highlighted possible areas for
improvement at the level of the firms, within the sector as
a whole as well as in the policy and regulatory framework.

Photo: Scott Goodwill / Unsplash
                                                                13
2. Rationale for Water Efficiency
in South Africa
2.1 Water scarcity in South Africa
South Africa is a water-scarce country and is characterized by a skewed distribution
in rainfall and evaporation rates that far exceed precipitation. Due to the El Niño and
climate change, parts of South Africa, including the Eastern Cape, Free State, North
West, Limpopo and Western Cape Province have suffered from severe droughts.
Consumption of water in South Africa is estimated at over 16 billion m3/year, with demand
expected to increase significantly. Municipal use (including domestic use) makes up 27 percent
of consumption. Non-domestic consumption is estimated at 10 billion m³/year, of which
about 9 billion m³/year is drawn from non-mains sources and 1 billion m³/year is potable
water. Primary sectors (agriculture, mining and afforestation) use about 93 percent of non-
domestic consumption, while secondary industrial sectors (including energy production) use
about 7 percent, at 640 million m³/year. The manufacturing sector (including agri-processing)
uses about 360 million m³/year.3

Forecasts indicate that the gap between water supply and demand is expected to increase over
the next 20 years. A significant contributor to this growth in demand is the industrial sector,
of which agri-processing is an important component.

3
     Sources: GreenCape. 2018. Water 2018 Market Intelligence Report; 2030 Water Resources Group. 2018. NRW and
     Wastewater Financing in South Africa: Market Size, Barriers and Opportunities for SWPN South Africa.

14
Figure 5. Projected water supply and demand in South Africa (Hedden, 2016).

                         Total water withdrawals for all sectors forecasted to 2035 and
                         total water supply, including yield increases from all large-scale
                         water reconciliation strategies                                                                             Water withdrawal for the three sectors

                    20                                                                                             12

                    19                                                                                             10

                    18                                                                                             8
 Cubic kilometres

                                                                                                Cubic kilometres
                    17                                                                                             6

                    16                                                                                             4

                    15                                                                                              2

                    14                                                                                             0
                     20 4
                     20 15
                     20 6
                     20 17
                     20 8
                     20 9
                     20 0
                     20 21
                     20 2
                     20 3
                       24
                     20 5
                     20 6
                     20 7
                     20 8
                     20 9
                     20 0
                     20 31
                     20 2
                     20 3
                       34
                       35

                                                                                                                      90

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                                                                                                                                               20
                                        Total withdrawals            Total supply                                             Agriculture           Industrial           Municipal

                         Source: Hedden 2016, Parched prospects II: A Revised Long-term Water                           Industrial water demand is calculated as the sum of water demand for
                         Supply and Demand Forecast for South Africa.                                                   thermo-electric power generation (cooling) and water demand for the
                                                                                                                        manufacturing sector.

By 2050, many parts of South Africa (including areas with concentrations of industrial activity) are expected to be vulnerable
to water supply risks (Figure 6).

Figure 6. 2050 water supply vulnerability with medium population grown and climate change exposure considering local run-off
changes (Green Book, 2019).

                                                                                                                                                                                               15
2.2 The agri-processing sector’s economic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             is expanding, with product sales increasing from around
contribution and water consumption                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ZAR110 billion in Q2 2010 to ZAR130 billion in Q2 2018
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      in constant 2018 ZAR.7 The gross fixed capital formation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      (GFCF) for the food, beverages and tobacco sector was
     For the purpose of the study, agri-processing is defined                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         just under ZAR4 billion in the 1970s and is projected to
     as the sector of the economy that comprises primary and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          reach ~ZAR14 billion in 2021.8 Investments in the food
     secondary processing of primary agricultural produce                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             sector are dominated by a handful of large companies.
     to transform this into value-added goods. This includes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          In 2015, 74% of the total fixed investments in this sector were
     such sub-sectors as diversified food processing and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              attributed to Tiger Brands, Pioneer Foods Group, AVI Ltd,
     timber processing (pulp and paper); however, excludes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Oceana Group, RCL Foods, Tongaat Hulett, Rhodes Food
     food and other agricultural product distribution,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Group, Astral Foods and Clover Industries.9
     logistics and retail.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Figure 7 shows the location of the manufacturing facilities
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      of the major companies within some of the key agri-
The agri-processing sector plays an important role in South                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           processing sub-sectors, including animal slaughtering, dairy,
Africa’s economy, contributing ~4.3% of the country’s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 fruit and vegetable processing, pulp and paper, brewing
gross domestic product per the data from Department of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                and malting and wineries. Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Cape
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,4, 5 employing more than                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Town, Theewaterskloof and Drakenstein are important
200 000 people,6 contributing about 10% of exports, and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               local municipalities and municipal districts in the agri-
supporting food security in the country and regionally.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               processing sector, as well as Stellenbosch, Witzenberg, Kou-
Furthermore, agri-processing companies located in rural
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Kamma, Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth), Breede
areas, where primary production occurs, provide crucial
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Valley, Nkomazi and Johannesburg. The Western Cape,
jobs for rural communities.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      in particular, hosts a number of agri-processing facilities.
As such, agri-processing is a key sector earmarked for                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The food, beverages and tobacco sector is the province’s
growth and development in various policies and mandates,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              largest manufacturing sector, (28.1% of manufacturing in
including the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP). The                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               2017,) and is a priority economic sector for the Western
food and beverage sector (a sub-sector of agri-processing)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Cape Government.10

Figure 7. The location of the facilities of the major agri-processing companies within each of following sectors: fruit and vegetable,
animal slaughtering, dairy, brewing, wine, pulp and paper, and sugar. Source: GreenCape 2019.
                                  The Location of the Facilities of the Major Agro-processing Companies in each Priority Sector:

                             No. of Agri-processing
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             0 45 90                                                                       180                                 270                                             360

4
     As of June 2019, the name of the Department changed to Agriculture, Rural                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 7
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            StatsSA 2018.
     Development and Land Reform. Legacy acronym used throughout the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           8
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Quantec 2018.
     document.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 9
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Nhundu 2017.
5
     DAFF 2017.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Provincial Treasury, 2018.
6
     DTI 2017.

16
Agri-processing is heavily dependent on water for a number                             consumers, the redirection of surplus water to such groups
of processes, and as an input to end-products. Processes                               is often hindered by a lack of new bulk infrastructure
that use water include equipment and general cleaning and                              investment and the ability of under-served users to pay for
sterilization; washing and conveyance of produce; steam                                their water.
generation; cooling; cooking, pasteurizing, tanning, dyeing,
                                                                                       A similar issue relates to effluent treatment, whereby
etc.11 As many of the manufacturing sites are located in
                                                                                       private initiatives can reduce the economic viability of
areas that face water scarcity challenges, the sector is highly
                                                                                       public effluent treatment plants, particularly in the case
vulnerable to water-related risks. The potential impacts of
                                                                                       of large agri-processors that are often the dominant users
these risks include financial and operational losses, cut-
                                                                                       of local plants. This has implications for the structuring
backs, retrenchments and closures.
                                                                                       for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) that are increasingly
In addition, industry is often dependent on Water Services                             pursued by local authorities in South Africa for their
Authorities (WSAs, typically municipalities or state-owned                             effluent treatment solutions.
entities) to provide water and sanitation. However, many
                                                                                       In some cases, food safety and quality assurance and
WSAs lack the capacity to deliver these services reliably. Each
                                                                                       related regulations pose barriers to adoption of water
year WSAs are assessed for their institutional effectiveness,12
                                                                                       efficiency measures which are considered good practice in
and in 2016/17 only 5% were rated as having a low
                                                                                       other countries or are inconsistently applied leading to lack
vulnerability, while 70% were rated as either highly (33%)
                                                                                       of clarity amongst industry players.
or extremely (37%) vulnerable. These capacity constraints
further increase the risks of water shortages to businesses                            There is also limited direct support for water efficiency –
and can lead to significant impacts. As an example, a major                            while various initiatives, such as water footprint assessments
poultry producer, claimed over R85 million profit loss                                 and water and energy efficiency audits and surveys,15
at one of their facilities due local municipality failing to                           are underway in South Africa, direct water efficiency
provide reliable water services, because of the deteriorating                          engagements with industrial companies are limited and
infrastructure. Their employees can only work half their                               tend to deal with more basic efficiency measures. The lack
normal hours due to the restricted water supply.13                                     of engagement is due to an unclear understanding of the
                                                                                       business case for water efficiency measures. A rigorous
South African industry is therefore highly vulnerable to
                                                                                       and robust analysis of the cost drivers, related operational
water supply risks, and in 2019 the World Economic Forum
                                                                                       procedures and realized efficiencies, including advanced
ranked ‘water crises’ as the second highest risk for doing
                                                                                       monitoring and management systems, is often needed.
business in the country,14 closely behind unemployment.
                                                                                       In addition, the country faces challenges in implementation
                                                                                       of its policy intentions. This becomes particularly apparent
2.3 Gaps in support for water efficiency
                                                                                       at the local level, where municipalities face institutional
measures
                                                                                       and capacity limitations, such that 54% of municipalities
While South Africa has a relatively dynamic water policy                               that submitted Green Drop information achieved critical
framework, the policy and regulatory environment falls                                 and poor scores, with this rising to 70% for the No
short of encouraging water efficiency measures, and in                                 Drop program. These constraints have translated into
some cases poses barriers to improved water use.                                       ageing infrastructure that is not effectively operated and
                                                                                       maintained, such that as much as 41% of municipal water
Overall, water tariffs remain relatively low, thus the
                                                                                       does not generate revenue and 35% of water is lost through
business case for investing in water efficiency is driven
                                                                                       leakages.16
primarily by mitigating the risks associated with decreasing
water supplies. The effects of low water tariffs can adversely                         Due to the complexity that these issues create in shaping
impact companies, rather than by potential cost savings.                               effective policy, solutions that focus on institutional and
Furthermore, there is a complex system of incentives, some                             procedural challenges become increasingly relevant. They
of which run contrary to the encouragement of effective                                provide opportunities to address the implementation
water management. For example, industrial and consumer                                 challenge that local authorities face, and, when coupled
water savings measure can reduce municipal revenues, with                              with increased participation in and partnership with the
some municipalities reporting a steady decline in revenues                             private sector in water management, they can open new
as a result of conservation measures introduced in response                            opportunities to close the gap between stakeholder’s
to recent droughts. While such savings would otherwise                                 expectations of local authorities and the quality of service
free up water to supply new developments or under-served                               that the authorities are able to provide.

11
     Cohen, B., Mason-Jones, K. and Rambaran, N. Doing Business in South Africa, Water in Agro Processing.
12
     Department of Water Affairs and Forestry 2003.
13
     Business Day 2019.
14
     WEF 2019.
15
     Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Top 20 Emitting Countries by Total Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions for 2008.
16
     Department of Water and Sanitation 2018.

                                                                                                                                                   17
3. Water use practices in the
agri-processing sector
3.1 Water consumption in agri-processing
The agri-processing sector is estimated to use ~130 million m3/year, of which ~55%
is for food and beverages, and ~45% for pulp and paper (Figure 8).17 Figure 8 also
shows the estimated breakdown of water used in the food and beverage sector, with
animal slaughtering account for roughly one quarter.

Figure 8. Estimated water use in the agri-processing sector by sub-sector. Left-hand chart
compares pulp and paper with food and beverages total water usage. Right-hand chart gives a
breakdown of water usage in the food and beverage sector.18

                                                                                 Fishery 1%              Brewing and
                          80 000 000                                                       Edible oil 4% malting
                          70 000 000                                     Sugar 10%                       total 17%
                          60 000 000
     Water use (kl/yr)

                          50 000 000                            Fruit &
                          40 000 000                            vegetable
                                                                total 8%                                               Wine
                          30 000 000                                                                                   10%
                          20 000 000
                          10 000 000
                                                                          Dairy
                                   0                                      12%
                                                                                                             Animal
                                        Pulp &     Food &                                                    slaughtering
                                        paper     beverage                                                   total 26%

This study focuses on seven key sub-sectors, which account for ~90% of water used in
the agri-processing sector, excluding cold beverages, that are not linked to agri-processing,
but covers diversified beverage operations under the dairy and fruit and vegetable (juice
processing) sectors:
•                        Fruit and vegetable processing;
•                        Dairy processing;
•                        Animal slaughtering and processing (includes red meat and poultry, which are assessed
                         separately, as relevant);
•                        Brewing and malting;
•                        Wine production;
•                        Pulp and paper processing; and
•                        Sugar production.

17
       Classification of which sectors belong to agri-processing vary, but for the purposes of this assessment, it includes food
       and beverages and pulp and paper sectors.
18
       Water usage data was generally estimated from average water benchmarks linked to production within each sector,
       multiplied by the production numbers (e.g. sourced from WRC NATSURVs, if available). WRC 2010 was also used to
       estimate the usage within the pulp and paper, soft drink, edible oils and fisheries sub-sectors.

18
These sub-sectors are also associated with high wastewater         efficiency are revealed (see Figure 9). For instance, average
volumes that represent a potential resource for improved           water usage in dairy processing is on par with international
water and energy efficiency.                                       averages, but the highly efficient polish dairy sector
                                                                   demonstrates the potential for even higher efficiencies.
3.2 Water use practices and efficiency:                            However, the local conditions may require higher water
international comparisons                                          usage in comparison to cooler countries, and as seen below
South African agri-processors compare relatively well to           there is a high degree of variability within the local sector
international companies in terms of water efficiency, and          benchmarks. It is for this reason that the most efficient
it is only when South African companies are compared to            users in South Africa were the basis for the estimations of
international best practice, that notable opportunities for        the potential for efficiency potential in the rest of the sector.

Figure 9. SA agri-processor sub-sector water usage benchmarks in comparison to international best practice. Green bar = average
and grey bars = upper and lower thresholds.

                          Fruit & veg (fruit juice processing)                  Dairy processing (bulk production milk)
                                [litres water/litre juice]                              [litres water/litre juice]
                     5
                    4.5                                                   1.8
                     4                                                    1.6
                    3.5                                                   1.4
                      3                                                   1.2
                    2.5                                                     1
                     2                                                   0.8
                    1.5                                                  0.6
                      1                                                  0.4
                    0.5                                                   0.2
                     0                                                     0
                               SA            International best                        SA            International best
                                                  practice                                                practice

                          Red meat slaughtering & processing                      Poultry slaughtering & processing
                                       [kl/SU]                                                [litres/bird]
                                                                           15
                      3                                                    14
                    2.5                                                    13
                     2                                                     12
                    1.5                                                    11
                      1                                                   10
                    0.5                                                    9
                     0                                                     8
                               SA            International best                        SA            International best
                                                  practice                                                practice

                                   Brewing & malting                                       Wine Production
                               [litres water/litres beer]                         [litres water/kg grapes processed]
                     5
                    4.5                                                    4
                     4                                                    3.5
                    3.5                                                     3
                      3                                                   2.5
                    2.5                                                    2
                     2                                                    1.5
                               SA            International best                        SA            International best
                                                  practice                                                practice

                          Pulp & paper production (paper)                                   Sugar production
                                      [kl/ton]                                                [kl/ton cane]
                     21                                                   1.2
                     19                                                     1
                     17                                                  0.8
                     15                                                  0.6
                     13                                                  0.4
                     11                                                   0.2
                     9                                                     0
                               SA            International best                        SA            International best
                                                  practice                                                practice

                                                                                                                                 19
While the South African agri-processing industry is                                       potential in the sugar, animal slaughtering, and brewing
performing well compared to international companies,                                      and malting industries.
there are still opportunities for improved efficiency. Figure
                                                                                          However, as some industries typically source their water
10 shows the estimated water savings potential per sub-                                   from cheap raw water sources (e.g. sugar and pulp and
sector (shown in red), with the target water use shown in                                 paper), the water cost savings (indicated by the black dots)
green. The target water use is based on the local minimum                                 are relatively low, compared to industries that purchase
water use benchmarks within the relevant sector, and                                      potable municipal water. As a result, the water cost savings
therefore assumes that each agri-processor could become                                   in the animal slaughtering sector (which typically sources its
as efficient as the most efficient agri-processor in their                                water from municipal supplies) are estimated to be higher
sub-sector in South Africa. These calculations show that                                  than those in the pulp and paper industry (~ZAR200m/
there is significant potential for water savings in the pulp                              yr compared to ~ZAR150m/yr), despite the lower water
and paper industry (~20 million cubic m/yr), with notable                                 savings potential (shown in grey).

Figure 10. Estimated total potential for water and cost savings, per sub-sector. The estimated current total water use of each sub-
sector is indicated by the height of each bar (i.e. target water use plus savings potential).19

                        70 000 000                                                                                                    ZAR250 000 000

                        60 000 000

                                                                                                                                                             Water & sanitation cost savings
                                                                                                                                      ZAR200 000 000
                        50 000 000
          kl per year

                                                                                                                                      ZAR150 000 000
                        40 000 000

                        30 000 000
                                                                                                                                      ZAR100 000 000

                        20 000 000
                                                                                                                                      ZAR50 000 000
                        10 000 000

                                  0                                                                                                   ZAR0
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                                           Target water use (kl/yr)       Savings potential (kl/yr)         Cost savings (ZAR/yr)

However, such an assessment based on high-level                                           In the next chapter, the business case for water (and
international comparisons, doesn’t account for the specifics                              resource) efficiency is discussed, followed by the more
of a given sub-sector, including the types of products (grade,                            detailed analysis of opportunities at the sub-sector level
species, cultivar), local conditions (available resources,                                based on available data on similar projects as well as projects
land, logistics, climate) and labour. Further, the economic                               implemented by interviewed companies. This will allow the
potential needs will depend on the business case, defined to                              study to arrive at more accurate estimates on water savings
a significant extent by tariffs that are set at the local level                           opportunities, size of the gap in terms of performance and
and also vary between sub-sectors.                                                        knowledge and then prioritize interventions in the context
                                                                                          of the APRE project.

19
     Cost savings were estimated assuming that sugar, pulp and paper and packhouses source their water from raw water sources at ZAR2/kl, and the remainder
     source water from municipalities (assumed to cost ZAR32/kl for water and sanitation). This cost is based on the average Step 1 tariff of the municipalities shown in
     Figure 12, and assuming the sanitation charge is 50% of the water charge and applies to 95% of the water used. Water savings potential estimates were based on
     minimum water use benchmarks in South Africa.

20
Photo: A’Melody Lee / World Bank
                                   21
4. The business case for water
efficiency in agri-processing
4.1 Drivers for water efficiency
The interviews with key stakeholders in the agri-processing sector revealed that the
major drivers for the adoption of water efficiency in the sector are as follows (see
Figure 11 for their relative importance):
•    Business continuity risk, linked to water shortages or poor water quality, is the dominant
     driver for investment water efficiency in the sector. Where these risks are serious,
     companies are willing to invest in water efficiency and reuse projects that provide water
     security, even when traditional paybacks are unfavourable. For example, at RCL Foods’
     Rustenburg facility, their planned water efficiency interventions will increase their back-
     up (reservoir) water supply from 8 to 16 hours, thereby limiting business continuity risks
     linked to temporary water shortages.
•    Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is also a key driver, particularly for multi-national
     organizations. Sectors dominated by multi-national companies, such as brewing and
     pulp and paper, are strongly driven to invest in water efficiency through CSR.
•    Wastewater discharge regulations and charges are often a driver for effluent reuse
     projects. Companies that discharge wastewater to the environment (or for irrigation)
     are required to meet water quality standards and obtain the required licences or
     authorizations. Similarly, wastewater discharged to the municipal sewer systems may
     incur surcharges or penalties if the quality does not meet the desired standards. For
     companies that are under pressure (financially or legally) to invest in systems to pre-treat
     their wastewater before discharge, the option of further treating to potable standards
     for reuse becomes more attractive. For example, a dairy invested ZAR12 million in a
     membrane bioreactor plant in order to meet wastewater discharge limits and plans to
     invest in a reverse osmosis plant to further treat the effluent to potable standards for
     reuse. However, in general, enforcement is poor, and many companies prefer to pay the
     fines or ignore the regulations even if risking being shut down.
•    Investment in utilities is often a lower priority for agri-processors than investment
     in expansion projects. Water efficiency projects that enable the business to expand,
     are likely to be more attractive.
•    Other drivers include water restrictions, the benefits of improved competitiveness through
     better compliance and water and energy cost savings (especially low-cost interventions).

The observed situation corresponds with that seen in many emerging markets, where the
cost of water is perceived by companies directly through the tariffs and cost of energy
associated with water supply, distribution and discharge. At the same time, direct costs often
do not factor in the water scarcity and supply issues, and the companies find other ways to
incorporate these criteria in their decision-making process.

22
Figure 11. Drivers for water efficiency specifically mentioned during stakeholder interviews.

                                        100

                                        90

                                        80
           % of companies interviewed

                                        70

                                        60

                                        50

                                        40

                                        30

                                        20

                                         10

                                         0
                                              Bus continuity       CSR/         Wastewater   High water/        Restrictions          Expansion           Other
                                              (water scarcity   Multinational      regs      wastewater                                projects
                                               and quality)      pressure                      charges

                                                Fruit & vegetable       Dairy     Animal     Brewing         Wine          Pulp & paper            Overall %

Motivation associated with regulations, as voiced by                                             dependent on the location of the plant and the source of
respondents’ is an important factor and calls for analysis                                       the water. As a result, the payback periods for many of
of the policy around water use in general, and specifically                                      the capital-intensive water projects (e.g. effluent reuse or
agribusiness, which is further explored in Chapter 8.                                            biogas) are typically not less than 7 to 8 years. Paybacks
                                                                                                 can be even longer, especially if water is drawn directly
The next section discusses the tariffs, charges and their
                                                                                                 from cheaper surface or groundwater (raw water) sources.
role in the business case for water efficiency in South
                                                                                                 Agri-processors, as shown in the following Chapters, are
Africa, which is important to arrive at valid assumptions
                                                                                                 typically interested in investments with paybacks of less
for further potential estimation – and formulate possible                                        than 3 years and are therefore unlikely to invest in these
interventions for enhancing the business case.                                                   types of water projects, unless there are other drivers
                                                                                                 (e.g. business continuity risks, corporate social responsibility,
4.2 Water tariffs and their impact on the                                                        regulatory compliance, expansion). To illustrate the impact
water efficiency business case. Additional                                                       of tariffs on the business case, Figure 13 compares the
                                                                                                 paybacks for effluent reuse and smart metering under
revenue streams and supplementary
                                                                                                 the City of Cape Town’s Level 1 and Level 6 restrictive
payback factors
                                                                                                 tariffs21 for a food and beverage company generating 1 000
Water tariffs are relatively low as municipalities are                                           cubic m/day wastewater.22 Regardless of the tariff, smart
often reluctant to raise tariffs to cost-reflective levels.                                      metering (a low-cost intervention) makes business sense,
Because tariffs vary significantly across municipalities,                                        whereas the feasibility of effluent reuse is highly dependent
see Figure 12 and Table 16,20 the business case is highly                                        on the tariffs.

20
     The data compares volumetric water tariffs and excludes any fixed costs, surcharges.
21
     Tariffs are often linked to water restriction levels, with higher tariffs corresponding with higher water restriction levels.
22
     Municipalities set different tariffs for different water restriction levels, and tariffs typically increase as restriction levels increase.

                                                                                                                                                                  23
Figure 12. Industrial water tariff comparison across key municipalities and municipal districts (ZAR/cubic m, ex VAT, no water restrictions
in place).23

                                             45

                                             40

                                             35
     Water tariff ( ZAR/kl ex VAT)

                                             30

                                             25

                                             20

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                                                         Tariff step 1         Tariff step 2        Tariff step 3        Tariff step 4         Tariff step 5            Tariff step 6           Tariff step 7

Figure 13. The business case for smart metering and organic effluent reuse in an agri-processor generating 1 000 cubic m/day
wastewater for City of Cape Town’s Level 1 and Level 6 restriction water and sanitation tariffs (FY 2018/19).24

                                                                                  Savings: 70 kl/day                                               Savings: 700 kl/day
                                              10.00                                                                                                                                              ZAR70 000 000

                                              9.00
                                                                                                                                                                                                 ZAR60 000 000
                                              8.00
            Project payback period (years)

                                               7.00                                                                                                                                              ZAR50 000 000

                                              6.00
                                                                                                                                                                                                 ZAR40 000 000
                                              5.00
                                                                                                                                                                                                 ZAR30 000 000
                                              4.00

                                               3.00                                                                                                                                              ZAR20 000 000

                                               2.00
                                                                                                                                                                                                 ZAR10 000 000
                                                  1.00

                                              0.00                                                                                                                                               ZAR0
                                                                                      Metering                                                 Organic effluent reuse

                                                            Payback period for level 1 restrictions            Payback period for level 6 restrictions                 Project cost (ZAR)

23
     Tariff steps allow for different volumes of water used to be billed at different rates. Where only one step exists (i.e. it is a flat rate), this indicates a fixed volumetric
     tariff that is independent of usage.
24
     Assuming 70% of wastewater is recovered through reuse and metering reduces the water usage volumes by 7% (however, in practice this has proven to be
     much higher).

24
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